True Blood: Secrets Revealed
by RolyaWriter
Summary: Takes place after the events of Renee's killing spree. Jason discovers one of many Stackhouse family secrets, that threatens to push him to his breaking point and sends Sookie into emotional turmoil in her relationships. Will this secret rip what's left of their family apart forever? Or could it be their saving grace? P.S. Double " quotes are spoken, single ' quotes are thoughts.
1. Chapter 1

"Sookie!" Jason yelled busting through the door.

"Jason, what are you doing here and why are you yelling?" Sookie asked coming in the foyer.

"You need to read this." He said handing her the letter.

"What is it?" She asked.

"A letter, a love letter! To dad from some that woman ain't mom." He stormed into the living room.

"Well you don't know it's not from mom." Sookie said looking over the letter.

"How do I know? Keep reading to the part where they talk about some secret love child and that's not all of them, there's more. I found them all under the floor

boards in mom and dads closet." Jason said pacing back and forth.

Sookie looked up from the page stunned.

"Yeah that's right, a BABY Sookie. we have a little bother or sister somewhere, hell who knows how many siblings out there all over the U.S of fucking A." Jason yelled.

"Jason language." Sookie said.

"I'm sorry Sookie, but our father had a child with another woman, what is the appropriate language to use here?" Jason replied

"Wait why were you messing with the floorboards in the closet?" Sookie asked

"Does it matter? God Sookie, you just found out our father was unfaithful to mama and had another child, don't you care at all? And how did you not know about this Sookie? You're the family mind reader." Jason snapped.

"Yes of course I care. Are you seriously trying to blame me for daddy having an affair? I was a child, besides what good is knowing this now there's nothing we can do about it. This was years ago." Sookie exclaimed.

"What can we do? I'll tell ya what we can do, we can find this woman and get some freaking answers!" Jason shouted.

"What answers?' Jason you sound crazy!" Sookie said.

"Don't you want to know who this woman is? Why she would sleep with a married man?" Jason asked.

"No...I don't know, This is too much, Gran's gone and now you telling me this about daddy. I can't take this all in right now Jason, I don't want to fight...not about this." Sookie cried.

Jason sat on the couch his face in his hands, "Don't cry...I can't just sit and do nothing Sookie. You Know that, I gotta meet her, I have to know."

"I know, but what happens when your face to face with her? What do you say then?" She asked.

"I haven't figured that out yet." He responded.

That night he barely slept Jason couldn't get those letter off his mind, he kept asking himself why, how, who was his father really if he could cheat on his mother. "Did mama know? Why did she stay with him?"

These questions clouded his mind until he finally gave into sleep. The next morning he awoke suddenly realizing he was late for work. He quickly got dressed and hurried out the door.

"Jason you're late again!" Hoyt said as Jason walked over "I know, I know."

"You know Jason, he like to give'em that morning loving." Lafayette joked.

"I wasn't with no girl." Jason snapped.

Hoyt and Lafayette looked at each other awkwardly, Jason caught their stare. "What?" he asked.

"Well who were you with?" Hoyt asked.

"Nobody. Why?.." Jason asked but either of them answered.

"Wait? you think I was with a DUDE!? What the fuck is wrong with you two?" Jason snapped storming off.

"Jason!" Hoyt called out. "Jason, chill we we're just messin' with ya." Hoyt said catching up with his friend.

"Yea well I don't find it funny!" Jason exclaimed.

"Hey man what's going on with you? You're all grouchy and mean today" Hoyt asked.

"I'm not grouchy and I'm not mean." Jason replied.

Hoyt pressed, "Yes you are man. Now are you going to tell me what's up or not?"

"My daddy was a cheater!" Jason blurted out.

"Say what?" replied Hoyt.

"He had an affair, got her pregnant and my whole fucking world is turned even more upside down Topsy turvy then it already was!" Blared Jason

"Chill man you drawing attention to yourself, and where is this coming from?"

"I have evidence, love notes from his mistress. Some C.J."

"Man, that...that sucks." Hoyt said.

"Yea, it sucks. Ok that's already been established thanks!" Jason snapped.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what else to say. I mean your daddy, Corbett he didn't seem like the type." Said Hoyt speechless.

Jason looked up from his clasped hands,"Yea well he was. You I looked up to my daddy, he was my hero. And to find this out, it's like losing him all over again. But this time he didn't die my hero, he died a liar a cheater."

"Hey man, your father loved you and Sookie. That's all that matters at the end of the day." Hoyt said.

"No, I need to know who he really was. I need to know why, how could he do this to mama risk our family. I need closure." Jason said

"How you gonna get that...no offense but it's not like you can ask him." Hoyt asked

"Whoever this C.J. is, if I find her maybe she can clear somethings up. Answer some of my questions, like if I really do have a little brother or another sister out there." he said.

"Yea that'd be great but, how you goin' find someone with just their initials?" asked Hoyt.

"Hey Golden Boys, you mind joining us!" Lafayette called out.

"Come on we better get back to work." Hoyt said.

"Yea alright." Jason replied.

Later that week Jason dropped by Merlotte's to get some lunch and brought the letters with him he continued to read them over and over looking for anything a clue to who C.J. was, all he knew that she was a woman his father was seeing and had gotten knocked up.

"Hey Jason." Sookie said.

"Hey, how's work?" asked Jason.

"It's going good so far. I see your still obsessing over those letters." Sookie noted.

"I'm not that obsessed, it's just I think I'm catching on to something here." He exclaimed.

"Like what?" She asked.

"Who C.J. is. Look here in the letter she says *Sorry I'm not feeling the best this week, I'll have to make up the work when I get back.* "Jason read.

"Work? What work, liked an assignment? " Sookie asked.

Jason said, "Yea, she was a student of his at that Technical College. Colleges have yearbooks right?"

"I don't know." Sookie shrugged.

"We can look through his old things, Gran kept mostly everything of theirs so maybe it's in the attic. " He clapped his hands getting up from the table. "Tonight when you get off work, we'll start OK." Stuffing fries in his mouth. "But me and Bil-" Sookie started but Jason was out the door before she finished her sentence.

On her break Sookie left Bill a voicemail on his cell explaining why their plans had to be canceled, when she got home that night Jason was sitting in the kitchen. "Hey Sok, I got us some Bojangles if we get hungry." Jason said.

"Thanks Jason, I'm not all that hungry right now though. Should we get looking?" Sookie asked pointing her finger upward at the ceiling.

They made their way towards the attic which was at the end of the upstairs hallway, Jason tried to reach the latch by jumping and grabbing it but it was out of his reach. "What are you doing? Sookie asked him.

"Trying to open the latch." Jason replied.

"Um...why do you think I'm carrying around this broom?" Sookie said.

"To sweep?" Jason asked.

Sookie shoed him out of the way and used the broom handle to open the attic door, a dust cloud rushed out Sookie got some in her eyes moved away from the opening to until it cleared out. "Damn never seen so much dust." Jason said coughing.

Climbing up the ladder into the attic, they begin their search by looking for anything that belonged to their father. After rummaging through dust covered boxes for about an hour Jason came across a chest he went over to open it, "Sok, can you shine the your flashlight over here, I think I found something." He said.

Sookie came over and shined the light on the chest, Jason tried to open it but it wouldn't budge, Sookie looked closer and saw it's been fused shut.

"That's not going to open." Sookie said

"We need something like an ice pick." Jason told her.

"An ice pick?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah, you know to wedge it open." Jason replied.

"I'll be right back, maybe there's something in the shed we can use." He said before he went down the ladder. A few moments later Jason came back with a hammer and a shaft. He kneeled down positioned the shaft on the crease of the chest and gave it a good hit with the hammer, so much so that the chest moved back a bit. "Sookie hold it still." Jason said.

She put her hand on top of the chest and instantly could see her father in the garage with a blow torch sealing the chest, then he was at Gran's house with it placing the chest in the attic. Just as abruptly as it started it was gone. Sookie was in disbelief at what just happened she had never gotten a vision before. She sat stunned her eyes widened, Jason who was still trying to get it open "Stop!" Sookie said snapping too.

"What?" Jason asked confused

"I had a vision, of daddy sealing this chest." She told him.

"Wait, you have visions now?" Jason asked.

"This was the first one I've ever had, I didn't even know I could until just now when I touched it?" Sookie explained

"Well what exactly did you see?"

"I saw daddy he was in the garage using a blow torch to seal that chest." Sookie told him.

"Why, did he say anything? Jason asked

"No it was a vision I couldn't hear anything. And then he brought it here, and it in the attic, and it's been here ever since." Sookie told him.

Jason looked back at the chest "I guess we'll have to keep looking." he sighed climbing down out of the attic, Sookie followed using the broom to shut the door back.

"God I'm covered in dust and who knows what, I'm a head home get cleaned up."

"What about the Bojangles?" Sookie asked.

"Nah, you can eat it, I'm not very hungry anyway. I'll see ya later."

he said turned to the door to leave, "Jason it's going to be ok you'll see everything will work itself out."

She told him.

"Right." he nodded and left.

In the morning Sookie gets a call from Sam who asks if she could cover the newly hired waitress Sandra's shift, Sookie annoyed that she has to cover someone else's shift reluctantly agrees.

Jason spent most of the night awake staring at the ceiling when he got up he felt sluggish but not really tired. He called into work sick, spending the morning thinking about that suspicious chest in Gran's attic. "What was in there, why was it fused together like that?" he wondered. He tired to forget about it but he couldn't it was stuck on his brain, so he caved and searched Bydell University the last college his father worked at. On their home page was a banner decorated with the text "Happy 100th Anniversary!" He clicked on the banner and a calendar popped up showing dates for two separate celebrations one for the students and another for colleagues and their families.

Lafayette slept in later than usual since he didn't have to go in to work til later, suddenly he was awaken by a crashing sound.

As Sookie made her way to work she came across a scene of police cars blocking the main road.

Andy noticed her as she called out to him, he approached her window.

"Sookie, you'll have to take the detour, we got a mess up here." He told her

"What happened?" she asked

"You know I can't tell you that." Andy told her.

"Why not this is my town too. Don't I have a right to know what's going on in my own town?" She asked.

Andy let out a long sigh,"...There's another body." he said.

"Oh my God, you know who it is?" she asked him.

"No not yet, now get going I got a crime scene to process." Andy snapped.

Sookie turned the car around and continued on her way. She the detour lead her past Lafayette's house, she saw Lettie Mae running frantic from his house with Lafayette not too far behind pointing a shotgun in her direction, Sookie stopped her car in the middle of the road and hopped out her car. Lattie Mae hid behind Sookie, "Lafayette what's going on? Why are you pointing a gun at Lettie?" She asked standing between the two. "Hello Sookie,this boozed out heffa broke into my house!"

Sookie turned to Lattie "Is that true?" she asked.

"I said sorry, then he wanna come after me like I'd murdered somebody!" Lattie shouted.

"You came close to getting murdered yourself, shoulda put one in you when I had the chance!"

"Lafayette!" Sookie yelled over them as they continued to scream at each other.

"Now how would Tara feel knowing you killed her mama? The only person that loves her in this world-" Lattie said.

"Happy! She'd be happy and better off. Now get the fuck away from my property!" Lafayette demanded.

"You ain't right Lafayette, God gon' come down on you!" Lattie said before she scurried off.

"Yeah let him come on down I'm wide open!" Lafayeete shouted.

Sookie sighed, a few cars had gathered behind her's and began to get impatient honked their horns. One man got out of his car, "Hey, you mind get a move on!" He shouted.

Lafayette raised the gun towards him, "Don't make me kill nobody today." Lafayette grunted.

Sookie looked on wide eyed, the man backed away slowly and got back into his car. "I got to get going anyway, Sam called me to cover the new girl's shift. See you later." Sookie said getting into her car.

"See ya Sok." Lafayette said.

Sookie entered Merlotte's when the lunch rush was starting to pick up, she barely had time to tie her apron as she served table after table,the whole afternoon went by like a blur. Things started to slow down after a few hours, Jason came into the bar. Arlene greeted him at the door "Hey, Jason I didn't see you at lunch today?" she said.

"I took the day off...hey shouldn't you be at home? You know because of...umm the Renee thing?" He asked.

" I can't just sit at home and waddle in my sorrows I got kids to take care of." Arlene told him.

"You don't know do you?" He asked her.

"Know what?" She asked.

Right then Sam turned on the TV which was set on the news.

"The young woman who was found brutally murdered this morning has been identified as 20 year old Lisa Kuburik. It's estimated she's been dead for more than two days. The coroner reports that Lisa's throat was slit from ear to ear, cause of death massive blood lost. Police will not comment on if this is the work of the Bon Temps killer." The news woman said.

Arlene felt the judging eyes of everyone on her,  
>"Another name added to the list." Jason thought out loud.<br>Arlene turned to face him. "He didn't kill that girl, he's been dead for weeks."  
>She hurried to the back in a huff. Sookie walked from behind the bar towards Jason. "What did you do?" She asked.<br>"I didn't do anything, it slipped. " he told her.  
>"Jason, Arlene is sensitive, especially now and she needs our support not to be reminded of him." Sookie told him.<p>

"Ok, you're right I'll go apologize. " He went to the back where Arlene was. She ran into the bathroom when she saw Jason coming.

"Arlene." He said knocking on the door. "Come on, I'm sorry alright."  
>Apology not accepted! She snapped her voice echoed through the door.<p>

"You don't have to accept it, but I am sorry really." He said. "I know how you feel, you feel betrayed, Renee was my friend. He killed my Grandma.

"I'm sorry about your Gran, but it's not the same." Arlene cried.

I know that feeling of betrayal. Believe it or not Renee isn't the only person whose ever hurt me. A man I trusted and loved dearly turned out to be nothing but a cheater, he wasn't who I thought he was.

Arlene opened the door, "How could you know how I feel?" She asked.

"  
>We are the same, someone close to you hurt you and someone close to me hurt me, he turned out to be nothing but a cheater.<p>

Arlene mouth dropped  
>"Are you comparing my situation to one of your sick sex capades? Because that is not the same thing, I loved Renee we were in a real relationship which is nothing like your homosexual experiments. She snapped shutting the door. Jason left standing in shock.<br>"Homo- what?... I'm not gay!" Jason exclaimed.

Lafayette was in ear shot taking the trash out, as Jason walked backwards back to his booth Lafayette jokingly looked him up and down.

"I'm not gay." Jason told him.

Lafayette just laughed "I know." As he took the trash to the dumpster, tossing the garbage in he felt like he was being watched as he turned around, what he saw just about stopped his heart.

Elsewhere in Coren, LA

"You getting ready, for your date?" Her mother asked.  
>"Yeah, just deciding on which shoes I should wear." Xandra said.<p>

"I can help you pick, if you want." She said.

"Ok, so I'm stuck between these two, gold flats or silver heels." Xandra told her holding up the shoes.

"Hmmm, I like...both." she said

"Mom." Xandra giggled.

"What you just have such good taste. Um ok, the gold ones, it brings out the pink dress. And you won't have to worry about sore feet." She said.

"I could handle heels, they're not that high." Xandra told her.  
>"I know you can, but you want to enjoy yourself, and trust me someone who's experienced the dreaded pinchy shoe that can be nearly impossible when your trying jump out of them." Her mom said.<p>

"Haha mom, I guess you're right the gold is perfect with this dress." She said twirling around in the mirror.

Right then the doorbell rang, "I bet I know who that is." Her mom said excitedly.

Xandra grinned ear to ear, as her mom walked out of her room and down the stairs to answer the door. 

Xandra stood in front of the mirror, "Don't be nervous, everything's going to be fine." She told herself.  
>"Xandra!" Her mom called.<br>"Ok I'm coming." She called back.  
>She grabbed her purse and went down the stairs. In the foyer stood her tall dark haired, blue eyed date.<br>"Hi Brad." She said. "Hey, you look nice." He said.

"Thanks, you too." She told him.  
>"Well we should get going, don't want to be late."<p>

"Alright, you two have fun and Brad you bring my baby home safe." She told him.

"Yes ma'am, will do."

"Mom I'm not a kid anymore or a baby. I'll be fine." Xandra kissed her mom bye.

On their way to the party, the drive was silent. Having always been shy around boys especially the ones she really liked, this was the first date she'd ever been on, She met Brad at the near by university, while at a football game her dad dragged her to, to spend some quality father/daughter time together. Her dad knew Brads father from his old job as a Biologist in Chicago.

Brad wasn't on the field playing because of an injured knee. He'd asked her out unexpectedly to a party the following weekend.  
>She had never been invited to a party before not unless it was a party her parents were invited to and she too by default. So many thoughts ran through her mind as they sat silently. Her hands were becoming clammy, she rubbed them on her dress hoping that'd dry them but it seemed to make it worse.<p>

Brad finally broke the silence "How about some music?" He said turning the dial.

The music boomed from the radio, "Hey that's Luke Thomas, cool. He's one of my favorite rock artist!"  
>She told him, nodding her head to the beat.<p>

"Yeah, me too." He replied.

Soon they pulled up to the house, Brad hopped out of the car so fast Xandra didn't have time to undo her seat belt. "Of course it's stuck." She thought out loud. Brad waited at the stairs near the curb. "Can't he see I'm trapped in his car, by a seat belt." She struggled with the belt.

"Hey, what's taken you?" He asked impatiently.

"The belt is stuck!" She replied frustrated.

Finally he came over to assist her, once he wiggled it free, he swiftly grabbed her hand;"Ok let's go." He said.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" She asked.

"Take it easy, you're hurting me." She pleaded with him, but they were already at the door, he finally let go of her arm to show the doorman the invitation. She massaged her arm a bit to ease the soreness. Trying to be discrete,though she knew she'd oughta bring it to his attention, but feared causing a scene at someone else's party would seem rude. So she tried to put on her best face, though as they walked inside he seemed to be scanning the room for someone. "Looking for someone." She asked.

"Nah, just seeing who's here." He told her.

Making their way to the other side of the house was an unimaginable feat. The place was packed practically wall to wall, she could feel feet stepping on the back of her shoe, getting shoved and pushed into people. She had to hold on to Brad to keep up.

Finally reaching a space that was not as packed, a couple of Brads friends waved in his direction. Xandra recognized one of them as Dave a former student from their high school,he was a grade above her's she met him through one of her parents friends Halloween parties last year. She and Dave talked for a few months but only as friends, as he was in Georgia most of the year going to school.

"Hey, who's your new chick? She's nice." One obnoxious masked boy said.

"I'm sorry 'chick'?" She started.

"Hey, that's Ms. Xandra Guerra. And she is a lady, young man." Dave sa8d in a sarcastic tone, but serious at the same time.

Xandra took it either way at least he made an effort to defend her honor. Brad just stared at his phone.

Once again she noticed him scanning the crowd, "Xandra I'm gonna go get some punch. You want some?" Brad asked her.

"Ok, sure." She said, she got an urge come over her as she watched him step back into the crowd. An urge that she's pushed back so far into her mind she had almost forgotten all about it.

"No not now not ever, you can do this you're doing great. Look where it's gotten you a date with a guy you like. So what he's a little aggressive, agitated, impatient, and-" she thought to herself.

"Hey where's your date?" Asked Dave.

Xandra turned to face him, "Oh, he went to get some punch."

"Cool, so how you been? Last time I saw you, you were dressed as a blonde Pocahontas. " he said.

"I'm planning on being a blonde Leia this year." She joked.

They laughed, "But I'm fine, the family's good, school kicking my butt as usual. How are you?" She asked.

"Ah, school I kicked school to the curb to start my own lawn care business." Dave told her.

"Really, how long have you been in business? " she asked.

"A few months now, I'm planning on expanding to other counties." He said.

"Expanding, that's great. I bet your folks are excited for you." She said.

"Not really, my dad still hooked up on me joining the family business. Since I'm his only son and my two sisters are married, etc." He said.

"That's rough, but maybe someday he'll come around. Once he sees you happy, and successful." Xandra told him.

"Yeah, maybe. And that's a big maybe. But I'm glad everything is alright with you, when I met you last year you seemed so closed off. You're like a new bubbly person now." He told her.

"Things haven't really changed that much, but you helped to break me out of my shell a bit." She said.

"Oh, I can't take credit for that. You had it in you all along." He said.

"Yes, but I'm still giving you credit,so accept it." Xandra giggled.

"Alright, I'll accept." He joked.

They chatted for a few more minutes, when his phone beeped. "Oh, times up. I allow myself a few hours a week to 'play' on work nights. So I'm relaxed the next day for work. But if I stay too long I'll be lush in the morning, and we don't want that. It was great to see you again Xandra, I'll see ya." He told her, as he gave her a quick side hug.

"Ditto." She said. It wasn't until Dave left that she realized Brad hadn't come back with the punch.

Xandra looked everywhere in the house for Brad but didn't find him so she went outside,. Stepping out onto the patio, the hanging sting lights above helped light the yard enough for her to see no one was out there, as she turned to go back inside, she hears a faint sound coming from the woods behind the house. She stood and listened but shook it off and heads back inside, Xandra walked back through the kitchen when she hears familiar voice call her. "Xandra."  
>Looking to her right, it was Faith her best friend from High School. "Faith? Hey I haven't seen you in forever." Xandra said as Faith hugged her.<p>

"You smell amazing, is that your moms perfume?" Faith asked her.

"Thanks, no actually it's a body spray, does it actually smell that good? I thought it'd worn off by now." She told her.

"Nope, still there..so what are you doing here?" Faith asked her.

"Oh, well my date invited me." She said.

"Who's your date?" Faith asked looking around the room.

"Well it was Brad Harris, but I think he's ditched me I can't find him anywhere." She explained.

"Brad?" Faith repeated.

"Yeah." Xandra replied.

"Don't you find him a little strange?" Faith asked her.

Xandra thought for a moment, "...I guess, but aren't we all?"

"Yes, but some characters are exceptionally strange." Faith told her.

As they continued to talk, Faith stayed close to Xandra, literally rubbing shoulders as they moved about the room. Xandra dismissed it as it was quite crowded even more so than before.

Faith suddenly tells her she needs to leave, Xandra ask why, Faith tells her she's been invited to a Blood party. Xandra asked what's a Blood party, Faith says there's no time to explain and leads her out the back door.

"Go down the wooded path and stay off the main roads, got it?" Faith told her.

"No, Faith why-" Xandra started.

"Go!" Faith yelled her fangs extended, Xandra startled, turned and ran into the woods down the path until she couldn't run anymore. She stopped to catch her breath, as she tried to process everything.

"Faith...Oh my god." She thought out loud. After a few breaths she walked down the dirt path,finally coming to the end where the path and road met. She thought back to Faiths warning, she looked around and saw no where else to go, the woods were too dense walk through, so she continued upon the road and no cars were in sight. Awhile she walked her feet started to ache "Flats were not made for walking." She thought to herself. Xandra wondered where Brad had gone, what and why did he invite me to a "Blood" party, did he even know that's what it was? And Faith...a vampire? Since when? Why didn't she tell me. It's not like vampires are some big secret now.

All of a sudden heard the sound of wheels coming from behind her, she moved on to the far end of the road. But then the engine got louder she turned to see the a truck speeding up coming toward her fast she jumped into the ditch landing on her shoulder, the truck just missed her.

The wheels screeched to a stop, the car door opened. Xandra got to her feet, "Are you crazy!?" She exclaimed holding her now throbbing shoulder.

The shadow came around the rear of the truck, in the bumper lights she could see their face. "Brad?... Where were you, I looked everywhere for you. Why did you try run me down?" She asked him.

"Well you found me." He said coldly, before she had time to react he launched at her, "No! Let go of me!" She shouted, struggling to get loose from his grip.

Opening the passenger door, he tried to shove her in, but Xandra began to claw at his forearm. Screaming, "Let me go!" As loudly as she could, she wiggled free and ran off pushing her way through the thick bush. He tried to follow but he was too broad to slip through the tightly grown trees.

Xandra, thinking Brad was on her heels she continued to run branches hitting her in every direction, she kept her eyes shut as not to get poked in the eye. But lost her footing she slid down a steep hill, she tried to catch herself, but she continued to roll til she reached the bottom. Before losing conscious she the last thing she heard were wheels on gravel.

When Xandra awoke, her head felt wet and cold. She slowly opened her eyes, trying to focus her vision, but could only make out colors. She squeezed her eyes and reopened them trying to make out where she was.

She realized she was not outside, but in a room on a soft bed, she'd thought that maybe she was in a hospital, but no that couldn't be because the room had all the signs of a bedroom, there was a dresser and homey touches. But who's bedroom?

Xandra lifted herself out of bed, noticing she was wearing a frilly nightgown, she must have been out for hours the sun was now up the light shined through the window curtains. She crept to the door opened it slowly, and peeked out there was no signs of life that she could see. As she stepped out into the hallway the floors creaked beneath her feet with each step she took. As she got near the stairs she could hear a voice or voices she couldn't tell which, coming from downstairs she took a deep breath and moved cautiously down the stairs. Finally reaching the last step the voices became more distinct, "Who is she?" a voice asked.

"I don't know, she was just laying in the road." another voice answered.

Xandra peeped around the wall to see who the voices belonged to, she saw two women in the kitchen one sitting at the table the other standing at the counter.

"So you find somebody just laying in the road, bring them home and now you fixing sandwiches for'em? You know what you do when somebody laying in the road you call the police, an ambulance . Don't bring them home, they could be a psychopath, a killer and I come find you dead." Tara exclaimed.

"Tara, I'm fine ok I'm not dead and she's...awake." Sookie said.


	2. Chapter 2

Tara turned to see Xandra standing the doorway, her expression dazed and confused. "W-who are you?" Xandra asked.

"Come...sit I made you lunch." Sookie told her.

Xandra hesitated but eventually came and sat at the table, Sookie placed a plate in front of her.

"I'm Sookie and this is best friend Tara." Sookie said pouring her a glass of OJ.

"What's your name?" Sookie asked her.

"...Xandra." she told her.

"Where you come from Sandra?" Tara asked.

"Coren and it's Xandra not Sandra." she told her.

"Oh, sorry 'X'andra." Tara replied.

Xandra took a bite of her sandwich and sipped her juice, "So what happened to you last night? You were laying in the road, you were out cold." Sookie asked.

"I...I was just a little..drunk that's all." Xandra said.

Tara shot Sookie a look and back at Xandra, "Look I know drunks and drinkers and you don't look like any of em' I ever seen." Tara told her.

" It was my first time...I misjudge how much I could take." Xandra replied.

"How did you get brusies on your arm, and waist look like someone grabbed you real hard. The blood under your fingernails." Sookie said.

Xandra balled her fist up to hide her nails, she said nothing she just wanted to forget the whole thing had ever happened. She wanted to hide or run but she stayed seated frozen in the chair."_I went to a party, with Brad my date, my first date ever then it all went wrong, Faiths' a Vampire, Blood Party, Brad hurt me I don't know why. I was so scared."_

"Who's Brad?" Sookie asked.

Xandra looked at her confused, then it dawned on her, "Oh my god... she can do that too?" She asked in her mind.

Sookie stared at her bewildered , "Too?" Sookie asked.

"Umm" Xandra thought.

"Wait, what's going on?" Tara asked Sookie,

"Nothing, I just... can I please use your phone? I lost my purse last night." Xandra said.

"Oh, of course..uh it's in the living room." Sookie told her.

"Thanks." Xandra said as she got up from the table.

"I don't like this, why won't she just tell you what really happened?" Tara asked once Xandra was out of the kitchen.

"She 's just scared, she did just meet us." Sookie told her.

In the living room, Xandra dialed her home phone. It rang once, than twice and by the fourth ring the answering machine picked up.

"Hello you've reached Micheal, Claire, and Xandra. We're the Guerra's and we are so sorry we missed your call, but if you leave us a detailed message we'll be sure to get back to you." The recording said, it always made Xandra laugh she and her parents made that recording being goofy a few years back.

"Mom, it's me Xandra I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner I lost my purse and my phone was in it so, but I'm alright. Umm..I was hoping you'd be home and could come get me, please call me back at this number Ok, love you bye." Xandra said.

"You get a hold of her?" Sookie asked, Xandra turned around "No, got the answering machine." she told her. Sookie smiled, "What?...Oh my god would you stop that!" Xandra snapped.

"I knew it!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Knew what?" Xandra asked, walking away.

"You can read minds too." Sookie said.

"You're crazy." Xandra snapped.

"You heard my thoughts, I heard yours we're the same." Sookie said.

"Really, the same? My psycho date invited me to a "Blood Party" and then tried to kidnap me last night and I don't know the same party I find out my best friend since middle school is a vampire and not to mention running for my life from that same psycho I thought I liked getting cut up by trees and branches then thinking 'I'm going to die tonight'." Xandra cried. "What you got? A nice house, a friend that looks out for you." she continued.

"My Grandma was murdered not too long ago, this is her house and my parents died when I was little." Sookie told her.

"...Well shit..sorry." Xandra said.

"Don' t be, it's ok we all have it rough once in awhile." Sookie laughed lightly, as she embraced her warmly.

"I'm so sorry...I'm such a bitch." Xandra cried on Sookie's shoulder.

"No, it's alright." Sookie chuckled.

"So how long have been able too... mind read?" Xandra asked sitting on the couch.

"All my life." Sookie said siting beside her.

"Since you were like a baby?" Xandra asked.

"I don't think so, I can't remember that far back." Sooike giggled, Tara who'd been standing the whole time sat in the recliner.

"So Xandra, you say you from Coren? I heard that town's practically abandoned, farms don't grow nothing." Tara said.

"Yea that's true, my folks and I and maybe a handful of families left in Coren. We got lucky I guess there's a patch of soil on our land that grows fruits, veggies, and flowers like magic. When we grow extra mama gives them to the neighbors for them to sell and earn some extra cash." Xandra told them.

"That's nice of her, so you a;; lived in Coren all your life?" Sookie asked.

"No, we use to live in Chicago until I was 10, when daddy "retired" then when this Tru Blood came about he jumped on that ban wagon and has been coming and going from Europe to Japan back here ever since." Xandra told her.

"What does he do?" Tara asked.

"He worked as a Biology professor at the University of Chicago for like 20 something years and then I guess he finally got burned out and we moved down here." Xandra said.

"Wow, my dad was a professor. He taught at a few different colleges mostly community and I think one University." Sookie told her.

"Really, cool what did he teach?" Xandra asked.

"English." Sookie said.

"I love English, what about you Tara?" Xandra asked her.

"Eh, my folks ain't nothing special, Sookie's Gran was closest thing I had to a mama." Tara told her.

"I'm sorry, I don't seem to be very good at starting non-awkward conversations." Xandra apologized.

"It's aight, you start awkward conversations, I have a bad habit of jumping to conclusions. And I'm sorry for thinking you were a psycho or killer." Tara said.

"It's cool." Xandra smiled.

"I want to know about Chi town!" Tara said vibrantly.

They laughed, Xandra let a snort slip making them laugh even harder. They were having so much fun Xandra didn't notice the time ticking away and that her mom hadn't called her back yet, it had been two hours since she left that voicemail.

"My mom should've gotten home by now." Xandra said.

"Did you call her cell phone?" Sookie asked.

"No, she refuses to get one. What if she's out looking for me she must be worried out of her mind." Xandra started to panic.

"Hey it's ok I can give you a ride home and you can wait for her there. We'll wait together." Sookie told her.

"Really, that's so cool of you." Xandra said.

"Thanks, you hear that Tara I'm cool." Sookie joked.

"Yeah I heard, you real cool. I'm goin' call it a night, I'll see you tomorrow Sok, it was nice talking with you Xandra."

"Thanks, nice to meet you too." Xandra said.

After Tara left, Sookie looked at Xandra "Hmm, we have to find you something to wear. Come on I'll what I have in my closet."

In Sookie's room she pulled out a pair of jean shorts and a blue pattern tank top. "Here see if these'll fit. What size shoe you wear?" Sookie asked.

"7 ½ to 8." Xandra answered, slipping on the shorts and the top.

"We wear the same size, oh I forgot all about these. I can't remember the last time I wore them, here try these." Sookie said digging some old new looking shoes from the back of her closet.

"Thanks, wow they look so new." Xandra said.

"They fit, comfy?" Sookie asked.

"Yeah they feel good. The shorts are little snug but as long as my legs don't turn purple I'll be fine." Xandra laughed.

"Oh no we wouldn't want that, let me see if I have looser fitting shorts," Sookie giggled. "Ha, found some, these are stretchy-er." Sookie said.

"Perfect they fit, you have good taste in clothes." Xandra told her.

"I so don't, I'm still trying to better my wardrobe. I'm gonna go start the car ok." Sookie said.

"Ok, I'll be right down." Xandra replied straightening her clothes. Once she was finished she headed downstairs and got into her car.

As they drove Sookie and Xandra talked more about their experiences of being telepathic.

"I've never met someone like me before, I didn't think there were people like me. I thought I was just weird.

"Yea it's gets pretty lonely when you're the only one with this, you have no one to talk to, to tell or explain how it feels and no one to explain to you what and why it's happening to you. So I decided to change my life I wanted to be normal, and it seemed to be working... until last night."

"So you went how long without reading minds?" Sookie asked.

"Almost 3 months, it felt weird at first it was really hard not to. It's like trying not to use one of your five senses." Xandra said.

"It took me years to learn how to turn it off, and act normal. I remember when I couldn't control it felt like I was an overloaded radio tower, just getting all these different unwanted signals in my head." Sookie said.

"I totally know how that feels, I stopped reading minds sort of like a way to challenge myself to see if I was capable to be like everybody else. And I was, I almost forgot that I could after awhile. It felt good to be normal, to not be ME. Isn't that horrible." Xandra explained.

"Not at all." Sookie told her.

"I'm sorry I'm being moody again." Xandra said.

"You're not being moody, this is great I mean I've never thought I'd be having a conversation with someone like me that knows how this feels. It's amazing and it's like faith that I found you on that road."

"Aww, stop it you're gonna make me cry." Xandra laughed.

"I don't want to make you cry." Sookie giggled. "So why doesn't your mom have a cell phone?"

"She hates cell phone companies, she thinks they charge too much for the "little" you get in return." Xandra told her.

"Huh, I'd sorta agree with her. I mean you get somethings like apps and internet, but shouldn't that come in like a bundle price not all those other charges that really just are ways for the companies to make mega bucks." Sookie said.

"Did you just say 'Mega Bucks'? " Xandra asked.

The rest of the ride to Coren they joked some more and talked the rest of the ride there.

"Hey make sure to keep in touch, Ok." Sookie told her as they arrived at Xandra's house.

"You have some paper?" Xandra asked.

Sookie looked in her car for something to write on. "Shoot, nothing." Sookie said.

"Call my home phone and leave your number on the voicemail." Xandra told her.

"Ok, what's your number?" Sookie asked.

Xandra recited her number to Sookie before getting out of the car, she waved goodbye running up the driveway to her porch. As she got up to her front door she finds it's been smashed in, she touched the door just slightly and it opened with ease. Stepping inside it was dark and quite she called out voice at a whisper, "Mom, are you here?" no one answered she walked into the living room the only light was the moon beaming through the window. She still saw no sign of her mother she went through all the downstairs, and then went up to the staircase she noticed a speck of what looked like blood halfway up.

She continued up and saw more blood drops, until she got to the top of the stairs. As she made her way down the hallway she saw even more blood on the walls outside her parents room. She carefully made her way to the bedroom door which was cracked open, she opened it further and saw a horrifying sight. Blood splatter on the walls, floor and windows. Xandra let out a dreadful scream, "MOM!"


	3. Chapter 3

Elsewhere that night Jason arrived at Bydell University 100th anniversary party dressed in his best suit, he got up to the doorman, "Name sir." asked the doorman.

"I uh...my father taught here his name was Corbett Stackhouse. I'm his son Jason Stackhouse." Jason told him.

The doorman looked down on his list, "Sorry sir no Stackhouse on the list." he said.

"What? My father taught here for 7 years. Check again, or ask someone." Jason demanded.

"Sir, please clam down. Or I'll have to ask you to leave." said the doorman.

"Leave? I came all this way from-" Jason started when a medium height thin man came to the door "What's seems to be the problem here?"

"He's names not on the list." the doorman told him.

"Young man I'm sorry if your name isn't on the list you can not come in." said the thin man.

"But my father was a professor here, his name was Corbett Stackhouse." Jason told him.

"Stackhouse?...Get him out of my sight." the man grunted.

"What?" Jason said.

"Right away sir," the doorman said grabbing Jason by his shirt, tossing him to the ground. Jason got to his feet brushed off his suit. He waited until the doorman went inside and tried to find another way in, he walked the side of the building where he saw a janitor smoking near a half opened side door. He straightened himself and walked up to the man, "Hi there I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm here for the 100th celebration party and there doesn't seem to be anyone at the front door."

"Ah, you're late then. Too bad heard it's suppose to be real fancy." the Janitor said.

"No, if you just let me in I won't miss anything." Jason told him.

"Now why would I do that?" he asked.

"...My father gave 7 years of his life to this school, he gave his last year of life to this school. And I just want to celebrate for him a place he loved to be." Jason said.

"What was your father's name?" the Janitor asked.

"Stackhouse, Corbett Stackhouse." Jason replied.

The old Janitor took a puff of his cigarette and said,"Corbett, he bought me a pack of cigarettes once, I never got to pay him back. Consider this pay back." The Janitor put out his hand Jason shook it and thanked him,"Thank you sir."

"Hey go down the hallway and turn right the party's in there." the Janitor told him.

Jason walked through the college halls and made it to the ballroom, it was he wandered around the room, wine and appetizers were carted around the room by red vested waiters and waitresses, one of which got Jasons' attention. The petite brunette smiled at him "Want a bon bon?"

"I've never had a bon bon before." Jason flirted, she picked one from the tray and feed it to him. During this began a woman speaking up on the stage. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight and celebrating with us. We will be welcoming speeches throughout the evening and we hope you will be enjoy the festivities. Our first speech is from our Dean Robert Morrison." Mrs. Garnder announced.

"Thank you Mrs. Garnder." Robert thanked her. "I won't hold you all up, but I just wanted to say a few words. First I'd like to remember our former Dean Marcus Joilvet who recently passed on yesterday morning, if you will please join in a moment of silence."

"Thank you everyone, Marcus was a good friend of mine, he cared very much about the students and not only their educations but their lives he was an inspiring person who will be greatly missed. Besides this grieving time his daughter Catalina Joilvet or as you all may remember her as C.J. she has graciously joined us this evening, she would like to say a few words about your father." Mr. Morrison introduced.

Jason turned his attention from the brunette to the stage, "C.J." he repeated mouth full of bon bons.

"Thank you Dean Morrison, education was very important to my father, this school was a huge part of his life he went here as a young graduate student and graduated as one of the top 5 in his class. Then when it was my turn I was inspired to follow in his foot steps and now I've continued his legacy with by staying involved with the board of education and everything to do with furthering and bettering our resources to equip students with the best tools to go out into the world and use those tools to better our world." Catalina spoke. The room roared with applause, she stepped down from the podium.

Jason still focused on the stage was torn of what he should do now, "Umm, thank you for feeding me." He tells the waitress, he approaches the crowd of people that has formed around Catalina, to give their condolences. He finally face to face with her, "Hello." She greeted him. "Hi, i'm so sorry for your lost." He said extending his hand. "Thank you, have we met before you look kind of familiar." Catalina said.

"No, umm but my father use to work here. He wa-" Jason began but then the thin man noticed him and shouted, "Get that man out of here!"

Jason dipped out of the crowd running towards the exit dodging security but a brawly man got a hold of him threw him out of the building. "That'll teach you!" the security guard gritted his teeth then spit down on Jason. He got back to his feet, "Yeah, well fuck you!" the guard turned around and flashed his fangs at him. Jason left there standing in the night he found his car and drove off.

Fuming in his car squeezing the steering wheel tightly, a few miles down his car started to make pop noises then it came to a complete stop. "No, no. Fuck!" he said frustrated. He got out of his car and lifted up the hood and smoke rushed in his face, he slammed the hood and furiously kicked the wheels repeatedly. "AHHH!" he screamed boiling mad, right then a bus pulled up the side of him, a young man pokes his head out the window and asked,

"You need a ride friend?"

Back at the celebration "Why did you kick him out?" Catalina asked Morrison. "That was the son of a man who nearly ruined this university, Stackhouse." Morrison spoke with disgust.

Catalina mouth dropped she tried to keep her composure, in font of everyone. She politely excused herself. Stepping outside she pulled out her cell phone, "Jorge, we have a problem." Catalina said with concern.

Xandra looked about the room in horror, she was in such shock she nearly jumped out her skin at the sound of the phone ringing. The answering machine came on "Hey it's Sookie, just called to give you my number it's-" Xandra shook all over as she tried to hurry her way towards the nightstand to answer the phone, she stepped nearly slipped on the bloody floor as she picked up the phone trying to keep her hands steady. "Sookie!" her voice trembled.

"Xandra, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Sookie asked concerned.

"There's blood everywhere, I don't know where my mom is but there's so much blood." Xandra cried.

"What? Xandra just stay there I'm coming back Ok, just get out of the house. Get out and wait for me outside." "Sookie urged.

"O..Ok." Xandra her voice unsteady.

She hung up and stepped careful not to slip, suddenly a figure seem to appear out of nowhere in the doorway. Her eyes widened, "Brad?" she said confounded.

"Wow what a mess, what happened here?" Brad asked plainly.

"You..it was you, what did you do?" Xandra cried.

"Me? No no no, this is not my doing. I pride myself on being much cleaner." Brad arrogantly.

"Where's my mother, you MONSTER!" Xandra demanded.

"Mommy's missing, oh well that's not good..for you, it's great for me because that means it's just you and I. Now will you come nicely or will I have to use force?" he asked menacingly.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Xandra grunted.

"Have it your way." Brad said as he started to charge at her, Xandra without thinking with a swift motion of her hand threw him across the room. Stunned but only for a moment she bolted for the stairs she slipped falling to the floor, she sprung up trying to keep her balance, as Brad struggled to get up. She just made it onto the porch as he stomping down the stairs. Sookie pulled up to the house she jumped out of the car to see Xandra running towards her covered in blood.

"Get in!" Sookie shouted.

Xandra got in the car and Sookie sped off, "What the hell happened?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know, Brad did something to my mom." Xandra cried into her hands.

"Brad? He was in there?" Sookie asked her.

"Yes, he came after me." Xandra told her.

"We have to call the police." Sookie said taking out her phone. "911 what is your emergency." the operator said.

"Hello, yes I need the police someone's been hurt." Sookie told the operator.

"What's your location?" asked the operator.

"Umm, Xandra what's the address?" Sookie asked her.

"2378 Rosen St." Xandra replied.

Sookie repeated it back to the operator, after hanging up she stopped the car.

"Why are you stopping?" Xandra asked.

"We have to go back." Sookie said.

"No, no way." Xandra said.

"Xandra we have to, you have to tell the cops what you say and report your mother missing." Sookie told her.

Xandra laid her head back and exhaled, "Ok."

The police were already there and in the hose as they pulled up to the house, Xandra got out of the car as did Sookie. An officer came up to them.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"This is my house." Xandra told him. He observed her blood stained clothes.

"I need to ask you some questions." said the officer.

Xandra explained how she got the blood on her , what happened the night before and about Brad. She told him everything, Sookie was questioned by another officer. After they were questioned The officer advised Xandra that she shouldn't stay at the house alone. "What about my mother, there was blood in my parents room, but she's missing." Xandra said.

"You'll have to talk to the detectives about that, I haven't been able to get in there yet. Stay here "I'll go get them." He told her.

Xandra leaned against the car watching the police come in and out of her house taking pictures of everything. Soon a woman in a brown suit came walking towards her she stood up straight. "Are you Xandra Guerra?" she asked.

"Yes I am." Xandra answered

"I'm detective Sanders, I'll be leading the murder investigation." She said, Xandra quickly spoke, "Murder? No my mother is just missing she's not dead." Xandra snapped.

"...I know you want to keep hope alive, but it doesn't look good as the evidence suggest there's slim change anyone could have survived that much blood lost." She told her.

Xandra felt her knees buckled beneath her Sookie held onto her keeping her upright. "You really think she needs to hear that right now?" Sookie snapped.

"I'm just giving you my honest opinion, I don't want to give you false hope. We will keep up the search for your mother. In the meantime do you have any family members you can stay with until this is solved. I really suggest against you staying her with a manic after you."

"No all my family's in Chicago or France." Xandra mumbled.

"She'll be staying with me." Sookie told the officer.

"What? No I couldn't do that." Xandra said.

"Yes you can, your welcome in my home." Sookie told her.

"Are you family?" asked the detective.

"I'm a friend." Sookie replied.

The detective looked to Xandra, "Yes she's a dear friend."

"Alright, then I'll need your address and phone number to keep in touch." the officer told her.

"I'll give them to you. Can she go inside and get some of her things?" Sookie asked.

"Just go in get your things and get out, understand?" The officer said sternly.

"Yes. I understand." Xandra replied.

Xandra walked towards her house Sookie tried to follow but the detective stopped her.

"We can't have too many people trumping all over the crime scene." the detective said.

"It's ok, I'll be right out." Xandra told Sookie.

Xandra went up to her bedroom that was on the other side of the upper level. She tried to avoid looking at her parents room and all the blood, there was forensics people and police in their house flashing bulbs going off constantly. When she got to her room she grabbed her suit case from the closet, looking at it the memories started to flow of when her mother bought it for her as part of her High School Graduation present as well as a trip to Italy with her closest friends.

"Please come home." Xandra thought she felt herself tearing up and tried to hold it back and focused on packing the essentials; pictures, clothes, toothbrush, hair brush, deodorant, hairspray, accessories. As she finished packing an officer came to her door, "Excuse me miss you'll have to hurry it up. We need to process this room." he told her.

"Ok, I'm almost finished." Xandra said, she went over to her bed and grabbed her favorite stuffed teddy bear that her grand-mere made for her. Outside Sookie sat in the car waiting for Xandra, her cell phone rang "Hello?"

"Sookie, where are you?" Bill asked.

"Bill, where am I, where have you been?" Sookie snapped.

"I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, I was called away for something important." he told her.

"More important than me?" Sookie asked.

"No of course not, it's just being a new maker called for validation of sorts." Bill explained.

"You still could have called." Sookie said.

"I know, from this moment forward I promise I will." He told her.

"Ok, how are you?" she asked him.

"I'm fine, where are you?" he asked.

"I'm in Coren." she said.

"Coren? Why?" he repeated.

"Calm down, I'm just picking up a friend." she replied.

"Do I know this friend?" he asked.

"You'll meet her soon." she said, just then Xandra came back to the car.

"Hey I'll talk to you later Ok, love you."

"I love you." he said.

Sookie got out and opened the truck as she helped Xandra place her bags in inside.

"Sorry it's so much." Xandra said.

"No it's not too much, just a few bags." Sookie smiled.

On the way back to Sookie's place Xandra dozed in and out between tears, she was emotionally exhausted. She wasn't sure how to survive this her mom missing possibly dead, it was something she just couldn't imagine. The ride back to Sookie's wasn't a long one, soon they were at her house.

While getting out of the car Xandra saw a man standing on the porch, "Sookie who's that?" she asked.

"That's Bill, my boyfriend. Come on I'll introduce you." Sookie said, she helped grab her luggage from the trunk.

"Hi." Sookie said greeting him with a kiss.

"Bill this is Xandra, Xandra meet Bill." Sookie said.

"Hey." Xandra waved.

"It's nice to meet you Sandra." Bill smiled

"It's Xandra." Xandra and Sookie corrected him.

"I do apologize Xandra."He said.

"It's ok, happens a lot." Xandra told him.

"Let's get your stuff inside." Sookie said.

Inside Sookie told Bill wait in the living room, as she helped Xandra unpack.

"Are you alright?" Sookie asked.

"Sort of still trying to understand it all." Xandra said.

"So is your boyfriend a..umm." Xandra started.

"A vampire? Yeah, I met him at my job." Sookie told her.

"Where do you work? If you don't mind me asking." Xandra said.

"Merlotte's, we'll go there sometime." Sookie said.

"Really, thanks I'd like that." Xandra told her. "Hey I got the rest of this, you should be smooching with vampire Bill." Xandra said playfully.

"Are you sure?" Sookie asked.

"Yea, I'm a finish gonna get cleaned up, and crawl into bed. And there's only a few hours of night left and you shouldn't have to spend it folding and moping about with me." Xandra reassured her.

"Ok, but if you need anything don't hesitate." Sookie told her.

"Ok." Xandra nodded.  
>Sookie came into the living room, Bill was sitting on the couch. "You never mentioned her before." Bill said.<p>

"I didn't know I had to." Sookie told him.  
>"How long have you known her?" Bill asked.<br>"Not long, but we connected, we have a lot in common." Sookie said."Why what's the matter, you're acting strange." She added.

"Just think you should be cautious on who you let into your life." Bill said.

"Bill, I don't need to be protected like I'm a child. I can take care if myself." Sookie snappped.

"Sookie-." Bill started.

"No, you know what I think you should leave. I've one hell of a day and you haven't once asked me how I am. You don't even know what's going on in my life right now,I haven't seen hide nor hair of you in two days. Now you come back and you start questioning me like I've done something wrong, when you're the one who hasn't called to tell me you're alright." Sookie ranted.

"I've explained and apologized for that. I made you a promise that will never happen again. I gave you my word." Bill stated.

"Well at this moment I don't think your word is good enough for me Bill Compton." Sookie

Bill exhaled slowly, "Sooki-"

"I want you to go now. I have to clean up the kitchen, and I want to go to bed." Sookie said as she walked towards the door Bill grabbed her arm pulling her against him and began kissing her. Sookie struggled trying to get out of his arms.

She managed to push him away and struck him across the face. "Out!" She shouted.

Bill with regretful eyes, he swiftly left. Sookie shut the door as she leaned on it tears swelled in her eyes. "Sookie, you Ok?" Xandra asked coming down the stairs, "I heard you yell..are you ok?" She asked.

"It's fine." Sookie said wiping tears from her face.

"You get cleaned up?" Sookie asked.

"Just about to. You sure your alright?" Xandra asked.

"Yea I'll be ok, I'm gonna clean up the kitchen." Sookie told her.

"You need my help?" Xandra asked.

"I got it, you should get some rest." Sookie said.

"Yea we could both use some rest." Xandra agreed, before she went back upstairs to shower.

In the early morning hours Xandra tossed and turned until finally giving up on sleep, she walked down to the living room.

Laid out on the couch and flipped through the channels, she settled on an old black and white cartoon. She remembered loving cartoons as a child, how much they made her laugh, and how her dad would try to imitate her favorite characters voices to cheer her up. Her mom would make funny faces until she made her laugh. The memories comforted her as she fell easily to sleep.

Waking up the next morning on the couch, she heard the front door open. "Sookie? That you?" Xandra asked stretching. "Hey is this your handbag?" Sookie asked her. "What?..Where did you get that?" Xandra asked as she sat up. "I just came from getting the mail and it was on the porch." she told her. Sookie handed it to her Xandra looked through it, "Everythings here,my ID, cell phone, lip gloss."

"Well does anyone know your here?" Sookie asked her.

"No, I haven't had a change to call anyone...Oh no not unless Brad." Xandra said.

"What is it with this Brad?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know it came out of nowhere we use to be friends then he turns into my worst nightmare." Xandra told her.

"He knows where I am, I have to leave." she continued.

"No, don't be crazy." Sookie said.

"Sookie I can't put you in danger it's not fair. This is my problem you shouldn't get involved." Xandra urged.

"I'm already involved, I told that officer I'd look after you and I meant that. You're staying here, we can deal with this just call the police and let them know that Brad was here last night or this morning, he couldn't have gotten far." Sookie said.

"Ok, I'll call them, they'll catch him and it'll all be over." Xandra said dialing the police.

"They say I have to call Bon Temps police since he was seen here and not Coren, something about not crossing county lines." Xandra told Sookie.

"Alright we'll just have to go down to the police station and make a report, come on go get dressed."

"No breakfast?" Xandra joked.

"I'll make breakfast...when we get back." Sookie said.

They went down to the station Sookie walked up to the counter "Hello Id like to report a stalker and possible murderer." she said.

"One moment let me get Andy." the clerk lady said cheerfully.

Andy came up up to the front, "Sookie hi, and Hello Sookie friend. You want to report a stalker?" he asked her.

"Actually my friend her names Xandra is the one who wants to report the stalker." Sookie told him.

"Oh Xandra, nice to meet you." Andy greeted her.

"You got my name right." Xandra said.

"Oh, yea my family's part French."

"That's awesome my mom is French." Xandra told him.

"Really wow, uh agréable de rencontrer un compatriote." Andy said.

"Ah, pareil ici." Xandra replied, Sookie stared at them silent, "Oh he said '_it's nice to meet a fellow Frenchman'_ and I said '_same here'_...I'd like to report a stalker who may more than likely been involved in my mothers disappearance." she finished.

" A disappearance and a stalker? Ok, here's a form you can fill that out for the disappearance and-"

"No no, I already reported my mother missing in Coren, but the stalker seems to have followed me here in Bon Temps." Xandra explained.

"Oh, well in that case just come on back and we'll write that up for ya." Andy said.

Sookie sat in the front while Xandra went to make the report, her phone buzzed it was a text from Jason that read, 'Sookie gonna be gone for awhile could you please watch the house for me thanks.'

Moments later Xandra came back to the front, "We'll let you know when we catch em' and I hope they find your mom alright. I'm sire she's fine." Andy assured her.

"Thank you." Xandra said.

"How about I we go to Merlotte's for breakfast." Sookie said.

"Sure." Xandra replied.

At Merlotte's Sookie and Xandra took a window booth, the place was buzzing like always.

Daphne came to wait on them, "Hey there looks like I'm serving two blonde bomb shells this morning." she joked. "Is that your natural shade? I've been going for a darker blonde myself." she continued.

"Yes, it's called Ash blonde I think. I'm Xandra by the way." Xandra replied.

Daphne grinned,"Wow, pretty hair and a pretty name, so here are your menus, can I start ya'll off with drinks?"

"I'll have orange juice. I already know what I want, can I have the Pancake and egg combo with bacon." Sookie said.

"Wow look at you Sookie." Daphne said jokingly. "What about you sweetie." she asked.

Xandra looked down at her menu and said,"Umm, I think I'll try the french toast and eggs but sausage instead of bacon. And I'll have an orange juice too." Xandra told her, handing Daphne back the menu.

"Alright I'll have your food right out. It was nice to meet you Xandra." Daphne said.

After they ordered Sam came by their booth "Hey Sookie, who's this new face?" Sam asked.

"This is Xandra, she's from Coren." Sookie introduced her.

"Oh Coren, I've heard about that place, I thought all there was up there were a couple old farmers." Sam said.

"There's not many farmers but there's a few families who still call Coren home." Xandra told stated.

"Really? Well a new face is always welcomed at Merlotte's, you come here anytime you like and tell your Coren neighbors to do the same." Sam said.

Xandra happily replied,"Will do, they'd love it here."

"Thanks Sam." Sookie said.

"Wow people are friendly here." Xandra said.

"Yea, we rarely see a new face in these parts." Sookie told her.

Their order came shortly afterwards, "You like your pancakes?" Sookie asked.

"They're really good." Xandra said mouth stuffed.

Xandra ate until she couldn't eat another bite, "I'm stuffed, I don't think I could eat anymore." Xandra declared.

Tara came into the bar looking for Lafayette, "Sam have you heard from Lafayette?" she asked.

"No, he hasn't been in to work for a few days now. But if you talk to him you tell him he needs to get back to work pronto." Sam

"Yea alright." Tara replied

"Hey Tara." Sookie called out.

"Hey Sok, hi Xandra, you haven't heard from LaLa have you?" she asked Sookie.

"No, the last time I saw him he was chasing Lattie Mae with a shot gun." Sookie told her.

"What!?" Tara exclaimed. "Ah, shit. I'll see ya later." she finished.

"Where you going?" Sookie asked.

"Imma go scolded my mama." Tara said.

Sookie and Xandra sat at the grill and talked way after breakfast had ended.

"What's your major?" Sookie asked.

"Business Administration with a minor in Advertising."Xandra replied

"Business and Advertising, wow tackling both that's awesome!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Thanks, it was really hard to settle on a major because unlike a 4 year degree you have to pick your career choice right then and there at sign up." Xandra explained.

"Talk about pressure, I don't know if I could make a decision that quickly on a career that I'd spend the rest of my life in." Sookie said.

"You just have to find something that keeps your interest, like Advertising is always changing new boundaries to cross and always coming up with new ideas. It's a challenge but it's...exciting." Xandra told her.

As the lunch rush slowed, Sookie and Xandra began to gather their things to leave when a strange man unknown to them followed close behind. At home Sookie showered while Xandra relaxed on the couch, looking through her phone she noticed several missed calls and unread text. Reading them all from Faith that read, "pls call me! I want to explain!" over and over. She listened to the voicemails left on her phone two from Faith and three from her dad.

**Faith:**"Xandra I'm sorry I scared you please call me back."

**Dad:**Hey honey it's dad just calling to check on you. I called the house but your moms probably at a late showing, so I'll check in with you later K, love you."

**Faith:**"It's Faith, Xandra I'm really really sorry. Please call me or text me when you get this."

**Dad:**"Xandra could you call the house for me I can't seem to get through the lines busy. How are you? Your mom said you'd be on a date tonight, just be careful and that Brad better be nice or he'll have to deal with me. (laughs) But no really just have fun and get home safe, Love you."

**Dad:**"I'm getting worried I haven't heard from either of you in two days, this isn't like you or your mom. Please call as soon as you get this, I love you both."

It then clicked that she hadn't told her father what happened yet. She dreaded having to tell him, but she thought if she held it off long enough maybe her mom would be found and everything would go back to normal. Xandra scrolled through her contacts her thumb hovered over her fathers number she knew she had to, but just didn't know what to say how to tell him his wife is missing, possibly dead.

She texted him instead that read;

~Hi dad I'm fine, we're fine. Phone signal has been bad out here and the power went out a few days ago. Been trying to get it back on with no such luck, tech guy suppose to make it out here some time this week. He doesn't make any promise's though, says they service the major cities first. But we've been doing well, the neighbors let us use their power so we're not missing any of mom's Lifetime movies, she sends her love.~

XO Xandra.


End file.
